Two mountain lion kittens have recently been discovered by biologists at the Santa Monica Mountains in West California.
Jeff Sikich, biologist at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area suspects that P-19 could be the possible mother of the kittens as according to GPS, she had isolated herself for three weeks before the discovery of the two young lions.
Tracking devices have now been implanted to the kittens that were found to be a male and a female. DNA samples were taken and biologists are now in the process of DNA testing to identify their father. P-45, a recently discovered male lion is considered one of the possible prospects, according to SFGate
The two adorable blue-eyed lion kittens were given the tracking names P-46 and P-47.
"We continue to see successful reproduction, which indicates that the quality of the natural habitat is high for such a relatively urbanized area", said Sikich.
P-19, the kittens alleged mother have been in the track of the biologists since she was weeks old. She had her previous two litters as a result of inbreeding with her father P-12, which biologists try to avoid since inbreeding results to low reproduction as it produces low genetic diversity. Thus, inbreeding is considered to be a threat to Santa Monica mountains lions.
"Our mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains ... have the lowest genetic diversity ever recorded of any mountain lion population besides the Florida panther that went nearly extinct," Sikich stated.
Biologists are keeping a close watch over the kittens as they are in for a lot of challenges as they grow.
Sikich stated, "Young kittens, a big challenge for them is avoiding any adult male. Adult male lions have been known to kill young kittens."
So far, this is the ninth litter discovered by the NPS at Santa Monica Mountains, according to Nature World News.
